Top 10 Struggles Only '90s Kids Understand
#10: Searching Through the Phonebook
Why Scientists Are Searching For Alien Life WITHOUT Govt. Help | Unveiled
Talk to anyone who grew up in the 90s and you might be surprised at how many still remember their home phone number from when they were a kid, as well as that of their best friend. However, when the number was unknown, that meant using a massive tome called a phonebook, which listed every phone number in the area in alphabetical order. The books were certainly helpful in the ‘90s, whereas these days their primary purpose seems to be for attempted feats of strength.
#9: Understanding Song Lyrics
Understanding the Ultimate Fate of the Universe | Unveiled
We’ve all listened to a song and questioned the lyrics. So, what do you do these days? Well, it’s easy: You just Google the lyrics. Or you can often have them displayed right there on your streaming music app. But not in the ‘90s! Back then the first thing to do was grab the Compact Disc case and pull out the booklet hoping they were included in the decorative sleeve. And while that worked sometimes, many times the booklet provided nothing more than copyright information, a track listing, artist info, and maybe a photo or two. That might help explain why some ‘90s kids thought Ace of Base was singing: “All that she wants is another bagel”.
#8: No GPS
Top 10 Things Only 2010s Kids Will Understand
When was the last time you used a printed map to help you get somewhere? For some of you, the answer is probably: Never! But that’s because you didn’t grow up in the ‘90s. Back in the 20th century, printed maps were used all the time to figure out where things were and how to get there. And if you took the wrong exit, the map didn’t automatically reroute you. Printed maps were an essential part of every road trip. Typically, it would be the person in the passenger seat in charge of navigation - and it was a lot of pressure!
#7: Y2K
Top 10 Things Only '80s Kids Will Understand
It seems silly now, but in the years leading up to the turn of the century, there was a real concern around the world that things were going to fall apart at midnight on January 1st, 2000. The anxiety stemmed from predictions that computer programs wouldn’t be able to handle the date change, because many represented years with just the final two digits. Leading up to New Year’s Eve 1999, some people began hoarding food and supplies, taking money out of banks, and prepping for the end of the world. But in the end, Y2K - as it was referred to - came and went with very few incidents. There are probably millennials who don’t even know that it was ever even a thing.
#6: Waiting for the TV Guide
Not everyone collected them like Frank Costanza, but there was definitely excitement in the air when the TV Guide arrived. As the name suggests, this little magazine provided ‘90s kids with all the information regarding television shows, networks, and air times for the upcoming week. When would we see our favorite shows? Had shows been moved to different time slots or days? Were there any good movies on that week? The TV Guide was the crystal ball ‘90s kids used to predict the televised future - at least as far as the next seven days of viewing possibilities were concerned.
#5: Batteries
Yes, we know batteries still exist and can be an annoying part of our lives today. However, the bulk of our modern frustrations involve having to plug in the device in order to recharge the internal battery - whereas back in the ‘90s, batteries had to be removed and replaced altogether. Which meant not only opening up that one drawer full of batteries that everyone had in their house, but also hoping that there were enough left in the size you needed. Then there was the question of whether the batteries were still good or not - because of course, used batteries ended up back in that same drawer, as well. Raise your hand if you remember those batteries you had to pinch to see how much charge was left!
#4: Doing Research Without the Internet
Top 10 Things Only '90s Kids Will Understand
We take for granted that we have, basically, all of the world’s information at our fingertips. With a computer, a laptop, a tablet, or even your smartphone, you can fully and completely research pretty much anything. Have a paper to write for school? Open up a Word document and a few tabs on your chosen browser to research and you’re ready to go. Now let us take you back to the ‘90s when you’d have to go to the school or public library to find everything you needed - in actual books. Or maybe, depending on the topic, you might be able to get away with using just your household set of encyclopedias.
#3: Waiting for Movies to Be Returned to the Video Store
These days, the only reason we can’t watch what we want when we want is that Netflix won’t let us use our parent’s account for free anymore. But if you think that’s hardship, just remember that ‘90s kids had to leave the house and go to a physical video store - maybe you’ve heard of Blockbuster? Then, once they got there, they had to hope that there was still an available copy of the VHS (or less likely BETA) left on the shelf to be rented. Because if it wasn't there, that meant having to wait for the person who rented it to bring it back. And then hoping that they’d rewound it so that there wouldn’t be more waiting around back at home.
#2: Waiting for Internet to Dial-Up
Growing up with dial-up Internet access really lets you appreciate just how good we have it today. Just open your laptop et voila! Turn on your phone and there it is! Walk into a cafe, select the Wifi and instant connection! No extended wait times or super annoying screeching sounds coming from the modem. And to think, ‘90s kids put up with all of that for - at best - 56kbps browsing speeds. Oh, and let’s not forget that internet connections relied on freed-up telephone lines. So, if someone in the house picked up the phone, the connection was immediately cut. If someone in the house was using the phone we couldn’t log onto the internet at all!
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Having to Call Collect
Out of Quarters But Need to Call Mom to Pick You Up? Just Use the Collect Call Trick
Someone Taping Over Your VHS
You Sit Down to Watch the Show You Recorded & It’s Another Show Instead!
Rolling Down the Car Window
You Did It Yourself with an Actual Handle
Discman Skipping
They Skipped So Much That “Skip Protection” Became a Major Selling Feature
Waiting to See Your Photos
You’d Never Know Someone’s Eyes Were Closed Until the Roll Was Developed
#1: Needing to Be Home to Make & Receive Phone Calls
One of the best things about mobile phones is that they allow you to be, well, mobile - to make and receive calls from pretty much anywhere. In the contrast, in the early 90s, the mobility of a phone was directly related to the length of the cord attaching the handset to the body of the device. Making and receiving calls often meant having to stand in the kitchen while the rest of the family was around, too. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, imagine finally working up the nerve to call up your crush but one of their parents answered the phone instead! Yeah, we do not miss that.
Which ‘90s struggle are you the happiest about never having to contend with? Let us know in the comments.
